Getting Married in Church - A Church of England Wedding - faith, hope and love.

• You're Welcome
  • We're here for you
  • You can marry in a church!
  • Special day, special place
  • More churches to choose from
  • Seven steps to a heavenly wedding
  • I guess we need to speak to the Vicar!
  • Happy to help
  • Preparing for marriage
  • Countdown to your church wedding
  • Legal aspects of marriage
  • Marriage licences
  • Marriage after divorce
  • If you have children
• Your Wedding
  • Wedding music
  • You can choose
  • Types of wedding ceremony
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  • Readings
  • Prayer
  • Flowers and bells
  • Photographs
  • DVD recording
  • Rehearsals
  • The cost of church weddings
  • Cost saving tips
  • Have a green wedding!
  • Plan your own service
  • *New* Guests
• Your Marriage
  • What's so special about marriage?
  • Marriage boosts happiness
  • Marriage is good for your health and extends your life
  • Marriage provides more and better sex
  • Marriage helps to keep you together
  • Marriage is good for your children
  • Marriage protects you legally and financially
  • Marriage is good for society as a whole
  • Anniversaries
  • Keep in touch
• Real Weddings
• FAQs
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Did You Know?
  • Need to Know More?
• For Vicars

What happens if one of us is a foreign national?

If you are a foreign national, having a Church of England wedding will involve some extra paperwork to make sure your marriage is recognised in the country you come from. In many cases, it is straightforward and we’re here to help you through the process.

How you begin is dependent on your circumstances and whether one or both of you is resident in the UK.

• If one or both of you is not resident, then the Home Office web page on visiting the UK to marry is a good starting point to find out what entry clearance you might need.
• Once you have Home Office entry clearance, or if you both live in the UK, the next step is to find a church in which you can legally marry according to English law. Thanks to a change in the law in October 2008, there are seven new ways to marry in church, meaning there are now more churches to choose from than ever before. Read more about this new law here.
• To find a church in a particular area, visit www.achurchnearyou.com and type in the relevant postcode or the name of the area into the search box. Details of the parish church(es) will be listed.
• Depending on your circumstances, you may also need a Common Licence in order to finalise the legal admin, but your Vicar can advise whether you need this and can help you with the application. It is particularly relevant if one of you is a national of a country outside Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the EU or the USA.
• There may be added complications if you have been married before. Visit our web page on marriage after divorce for further information.  

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